SERUM INTERLEUKIN-8 LEVELS IN THALASSEMIA-INTERMEDIA

In this study we determined serum IL-8 levels in 18 untransfused patie nts with beta-thalassemia intermedia and in 14 subjects affected by Hb H disease. As reported in polytransfused homozygous beta-thalassemia, untransfused beta-thalassemia and HbH disease show significantly (p<0. 005) higher serum IL-8 levels than normal controls. Our data suggest t hat there could be an intrinsic cause for the IL-8 increase in thalass emia intermedia. We think that the hyperactivity of thalassemic macrop hages related to chronic hemolysis is the main cause for the increment in cytokines, such as IL-8, found in thalassemic syndromes.